Teacher Shortages Hit Urban Areas Hardest, Study Says

An updated study of California's teaching workforce and systems of teacher development released today finds that the crisis of teacher quality confronting California's schools and the children who attend them is getting worse and calls on the governor and members of the legislature to focus on actions to strengthen the quality of teaching in the state's low achieving schools that predominately serve low-income, ethnic minority student populations.

Teaching and California's Future: The Status of the Teaching Profession 2000 finds that the disparity in teacher quality is growing between suburban schools that serve middle class children and urban schools that serve poor and minority children. Based on research conducted by SRI International, the update finds that the number of underqualified teachers has increased, and that the distribution of those teachers is increasingly concentrated in schools serving the poorest communities. In examining the 2000 Academic Performance Index results, the update also finds that those schools with the lowest scores have on average more than 4 times as many underqualified teachers as high achieving schools.

"To their credit, the governor and members of the legislature have taken important first steps to address this crisis, and we don't yet know the full impact of their effort," said Margaret Gaston, Co- Director of the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning. "But our research provides evidence that the problem has gotten worse, and makes clear that more needs to be done. California's policy makers urgently need to focus on the issue of improving teacher quality and take action to make sure that all children in California schools are taught by a fully qualified, effective teacher."

Key among the update's findings:

Too Few Qualified Teachers

• The demand for qualified teachers has grown dramatically and will continue to grow. In 1999-2000, there were approximately 291,000 teachers in K-12 classrooms, up from approximately 197,000 teachers in 1988-89.
• In 1998-1999, 32,700 teachers were working under emergency permits, or about 11.5 percent of the teaching workforce. While data directly comparable to last year's report are not yet available for the 1999-00 school year, other data indicate that the number of teachers working under emergency permit has grown to more than 37,000.
• California schools report that there are now more than 40,000 underqualified teachers who do not hold an appropriate teaching credential, or about 14 percent of the teaching workforce - nearly one teacher in seven.

Underqualified Teachers are Unevenly and Unfairly Distributed

• 30 percent of schools have no underqualified teachers, up slightly from 27% in 1998-99
• The number of schools with more than 20% of underqualified teachers is also up -- from 21% to 24% in 1999-2000.
• Underqualified teachers are increasingly concentrated in schools serving predominantly poor and minority children. In schools where 75% or more of students meet poverty guidelines, on average 22 percent of faculty members are underqualified.

The Impact on student achievement

• The lowest achieving students are concentrated in schools with the most underqualified teachers. Examination of the 2000 Academic Performance Index scores shows that the schools in the lowest achieving quartile have, on average, faculties where 23% of teachers are underqualified.
• Case study research conducted as part of the original study indicates that schools where more than 20% of the teachers are underqualified are likely to lack the capacity to improve academic performance of students.
• More than 1600 schools - 24% of all schools --have teaching staffs where more than 20% of teachers are underqualified.
• 1.5 million children attend these schools.

"The good news here is that the Governor and legislature have already begun to address this crisis. Now they need to keep their shoulder to the wheel to finish the job," said Harvey Hunt, co-director of the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning. "Success will require the development of smart policies that are aimed at the schools that need the most help and a commitment of significant resources that are applied over time. This is not a problem that will be solved overnight."

In releasing the updated study, the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning is urging policy makers to focus their attention first on the lowest performing schools in the state, the bottom 20 percent.

"The update makes it clear that the most significant problems of teaching quality are in schools that serve the state's poorest children," said Hunt. "These schools present the most immediate challenge and should be the focus of attention for the state's policy makers.

"The public says that improving the quality of teaching is their number one issue, and improving teacher quality should be the top priority for California policy makers this year. The need is great, but we have the resources. The only question is do we have the political will and resolve to get the job done," concludes Hunt.

Findings of The Status of the Teaching Profession, Update 2000 will be presented today to the California Assembly Select Committee on Low Performing Schools. The Status of the Teaching Profession, Update 2000 is published and disseminated by the Center for the Future of Teaching as part of an ongoing effort to improve teacher development policy and practice in California. Research for the original report and the 2000 Update was conducted by SRI International. Patrick M. Shields, Manager and Senior Policy Analyst for SRI led the research effort. Partners in the project include The California State University Institute for Education Reform, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), Recruiting New Teachers, Inc., The University of California, Office of the President, and WestEd. The study updates findings from Teaching and California's Future, originally published in 1999. The study provides an extensive review and analysis of statistical data and provides information regarding the supply and demand of teachers, the distribution of under qualified teachers and the systems for preparing teachers for California's classrooms. It also examines the systems of support for novice teachers and ongoing professional development for teachers over the course of their careers.

To receive a copy, please contact the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at (831) 427-3628. The report will also be available online on December 7th at www.cftl.org.

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